Mitsotakis unveils shadow cabinet

Kikilias, Koumoutsakos, Georgiadis at key posts as Theodorikakos promoted

As he wrapped up a visit to the monastic community of Mount Athos, Greek opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis yesterday unveiled a big shake-up of New Democracy’s front bench, as he seeks to ramp up pressure on a weakened SYRIZA-led government.

Former public order minister Vassilis Kikilias was named press spokesman, replacing Giorgos Koumoutsakos, who was given the foreign affairs portfolio. Sources inside ND said Kikilias was seen as better suited to take on the government’s recently installed spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos, a “fresh face” in Greek politics.

Conservative heavyweight Dora Bakoyannis will take over the development portfolio, while Adonis Georgiadis, the party’s vice president, will take an additional role as shadow defense minister. Geor- giadis, an outspoken hard-right politician, is considered a good match for Defense Minister Panos Kammenos.

Former tourism minister Olga Kefaloyianni was given the culture portfolio, Makis Voridis will take over as shadow interior minister, and Miltiadis Varvitsiotis will oversee issues of migration.

The promotion of Takis Theodorikakos is seen as a key as- pect of the shadow cabinet reshuffle. Theodorikakos, who has served as Mitsotakis’s strategy and communication adviser, is now tasked with coordinating ND’s shadow cabinet.

SYRIZA labeled ND’s new scheme a “recycling of worn-out political figures from the [Antonis] Samaras era.” SYRIZA also slammed Mitsotakis for promoting the party’s hardright led by former LAOS MPs Georgiadis and Voridis.